Kaleidoscope Effect
by tibo
Summary: Centuries ago the shinobi were brought together, united against a common foe. Now, humanity finds itself facing a new challenge. No longer alone in the galaxy, humanity and their shinobi must adjust to new challenges and threats. At this time one young boy will rise from humble origins to leave a mark on the Galaxy like none before him. AU, Shinobi based Alliance, shinobi Shepard


**Chapter 1 — Endless Rain**

**_Shinobi: _**_A__ type of human soldier, these 'shinobi' constitute the primary part of the ASF — the Alliance Shinobi Force — the military arm of the Alliance. What makes these 'shinobi' unique is their ability to manipulate a foreign energy the humans refer to as 'chakra'. Details on the nature of this energy and the method which these 'shinobi' use to manipulate it remain a closely guarded secret by the Alliance. What little we do know is derived from the accounts of Turian survivors from the Relay 314 incident, and several isolated accounts from the Traverse. These accounts speak of feats many would believe impossible. Stories of these feats range from tales of Krogan like strength and enhanced movement, to nature manipulation, and even the ability to walk on water. The accuracy of these claims remains unverified as to date the Alliance continues to treat any attempts to investigate chakra or their shinobi with extreme suspicion._

**_Dr Sonora T'al Amina, University of Serrice, 'Introduction on Humanity - The New Comers to the Galaxy'_**

_'A real ninja is one who endures'._

**Jiraiya, _Gama Sennin - Ibn al Adim,_ '_The Lives and Stories__ of History's Most Influential Shinobi'_**

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**[Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or Naruto]**

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Kagami crouched below the base of a large metal pipe, bare feet sinking deep into the grime and filth. The cover of the pipe doing little to shelter him from the harsh weather.

He stared blankly out at the pouring rain, waiting patiently for a brief respite and a chance make it to higher ground. The sound of water rushing through the pipes above him grew louder and louder, a constant reminder that he would need to move soon. It wasn't safe to stay this low during rain season, if the flooding didn't get you the chills would.

The rain had been constant for weeks now. Dark clouds hung over the village like an ill omen, obscurring the large skyscrapers that usually dotted the skyline. Normally, he wouldn't mind the absence of monolithic buildings looming over him, but the torrential rain had turned the back streets into little more than a quagmire. It was almost impossible to traverse the streets unless you were willing to risk wading through shin high still water. The water mixing with trash and waste had created a breeding ground for mosquitoes and disease. Slickened by rain, the pipes and ducks above were not an option either, the conditions making them far too treacherous to traverse.

Life in the slums was hard enough at the best of times, but the rain had made everything more difficult. If he didn't find some coin soon he'd be in real trouble.

Shifting his weight, Kagami wrapped his arms around his chest, suppressing a chill as a cold gust of wind swept down the alley. His thin, well-worn clothes offered little protection against the elements. To his right a pair of rats scurried in from rain likely fleeing the steadily rising storm water. Kagami gave them a wary look, pressing his toes deeper into the mud. If one of those vermin bit him the odds of surviving weren't good.

_Thud._

He flinched as something heavy landed on the pipe above him. Specks of dried mud and dust fell from the bottom of the pipe. He had to resist the urge to brush the specks from his unkempt black hair. Whatever landed on the pipe was heavy, but who would be out braving the slums in this weather?

The answers to that question weren't particularly attractive. Only someone desperate like him or someone on a job — an important job — would be braving the slums during a storm. Either way, Kagami knew his intereference wouldn't be welcome.

"You're stubborn, old man."

Kagami flinched again. The voice was loud, ringing out above the patter of rainfall. It was masculine, full of confidence, and, disconcertingly, had come from directly above him.

"Chasing us all the way down here...you move well for someone your age," the voice continued.

A flicker of movement caught Kagami's eye. There, standing alone at the end of the alley now stood a figure. Through the haze of the rain Kagami made out a matte black cloak which covered the figure from head to shins. He caught a glimpse of a pair of black combat boots, fingerless gloves and a grey umbrella which the cloaked figure clasped its right hand. Strangely, the umbrella remained closed despite the rain.

Kagami stayed perfectly still, he didn't dare move. Living in the slums, it paid to be observant. One wrong step, offend the wrong person, attract too much attention, and you end up face down in a gutter with a knife in your back. He hadn't survived as long as he had by being inattentive. Whoever this new arrival was, he was dangerous.

The figure took a slow step forward. The sure confident gait spoke volumes. It was clear that this person was not threatened in the slightest by the man standing atop the storm water drain.

As the figure drew closer, Kagami began to make out some more features. A brief flash of silver stubble told him the figure was likely male, and getting on in years. The pair of cold blue eyes gazing out from under the hood, and the weapons strapped to the man's thigh also confirmed Kagami's initial impression of him. Though most people in these parts carried some form of weapon, this man moved like a predator, and Kagami suspected the man atop the pipe was his prey.

The hooded man stopped about twenty paces from the pipe, and Kagami. Pulling his knees into his chest, Kagami stilled in fervent hope that he wouldn't be noticed.

"Five." The hooded man's voice was as coarse as gravel, and utterly devoid if inflection. "That's how many of your men lay dead by my hand. Do you really want to be next?"

It didn't take Kagami long to figure out what was going on. Somehow he had managed to end up in the middle of a Yakuza fight. The thought sent chills up his spine. If one of them noticed him, he was as good as dead. Yakuza didn't take kindly to witnesses.

The person on the pipe spoke up again, dismissively, "You're outnumbered, standing right in the middle of our territory. You think I'll let you leave here alive?"

The 'old man' didn't reply straight away, instead he cocked his head to the side as if in confusion, then shook his is head in what may have been frustration.

"That's not your choice to make," said the hooded man, and then he was gone.

Kagami's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't see the man move. One moment he was standing perfectly still, then in a blink of an eye he had disappeared completely without a trace.

A gurgle from above broke Kagami out of his shock. Looking up he heard a gasp, and starred in surprise as the water flowing out of the pipe turned a deep shade of red.

Then, hell broke loose.

Gunfire erupted from the right. Kagami clamped his hands over his ears as the thunderous bark of guns broke out all around him. He crouched down as low as possible as bullets ricocheted off the pipe above him.

A short scream and the gunfire from the left was abruptly cut off. There was a loud _thud _as a body impacted with the alley floor, blood mixed with the rain quickly forming a scarlet pool around the corpse.

"Shit, he's over there!"Screamed someone from the right.

"Get him!"

"He just killed Genki!"

It sounded like the hooded man was up against a small group of yakuza, perhaps five or six. The numbers wouldn't make a difference though.

"Damn it, he's too fast."

"What the hel—"

Kagami skidded back deeper into the shadows as a headless body hit the pavement. He had a good idea exactly what the hooded man was.

"Shit! Gin's down."

More gunfire erupted. Kagami knew it wouldn't do them any good. Not with what they were up against.

"Argh!"

"Crap. Get back—"

Another body joined the others on the alley floor. It was soon followed by two more. One was riddled with needles, the other had its neck twisted at an acute angle.

Kagami, now white as a ghost stared wide eyed as the massacre before him. What the hell had these guys done to attract the attention of a Shinobi?

Shinobi weren't common in this part of the village. These yakuza would have had to do something special to warrant sending a shinobi after them. Kagami had never seen a shinobi before, but he had heard stories, tales of what they could do. Some of the older boys on the street had seen them, seen their jutsu, seen why they were so special. From what he had heard, shinobi were the yakuza's worst nightmare.

A strained silence settled on the alley. All the bodies had long since stopped breathing, and the shinobi was nowhere to be found.

Kagami tentatively inched forward, maybe he could find something of value on one of the yakuza. Usually he wouldn't dare, but he really needed the money. The older boys would be looking for their cut and if he didn't pay up yakuza would be the least of his worries. The money would trickle back to the yakuza anyway, all coin in the slums did eventually.

Taking another look around, he slowly stood up and started to move only to stop dead in his tracks as he found himself staring into a pair of cold blue eyes.

If anyone would have asked him afterwards he would have sworn that the temperature had dropped several degrees as the shinobi stared at him. The air seemed to grow inexplicably heavy, and what little strength he had fled him. He should have known better than to try and hide from a shinobi.

The shinobi did not move to cut him down, or capture him though. He just stood there looking curiously at him. Kagami noticed that the shinobi's hood had fallen down, revealing a man on the latter part of middle-aged. His face was heavily creased, a testament to what was likely a very hard life. Spiky grey hair was pushed back by a black head band. The head band was a made from a black cloth with a metal plate in the centre that had the kanji for 'Shinobi' engraved into it.

The Shinobi continued to stare at him, as if he was unsure what to do with him. Finally, after what felt like minutes the man spoke, "Not one word, boy. You speak of this to no one."

As he felt the shinobi's stare bore into him, Kagami nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. The shinobi took one more look at him as if to judge his sincerity then disappeared as quickly as he had arrived.

Kagami let go of a breath he didn't know he had been holding in, and sighed in relief. It felt like a weight had been lifted of his shoulders as soon as the shinobi vanished. That had been far too close for comfort.

Remembering where he was, Kagami took one quick look at the slaughter around him before taking off into the rain as fast as his feet could take him.

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**Author Notes**

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**_Hi all, Tibo here._**

**_I'm a big fan of both the Mass Effect and Naruto universes, and I've been wanting try my hand at this cross over for some time. _**

**_The premise is simply Mass Effect with a shinobi/elemental nations based Alliance. A heads up, this story won't be featuring any Naruto shinobi in any significant way, it's not that type of cross over — though one or two may be referenced here and there. So, if you're _****_looking for a spatially or temporally displaced Naruto you probably need to look elsewhere,_**

**_As you've probably worked out, this is an Earthborn origin. I plan on covering the origin, the story of how Kagami becomes 'Sheperd' so to speak. That means his origin story, service history (the highlights of anyway) — at this stage it's likely Torfun — and how he attracted nomination for Spectre _****_candidacy. Doing it this way will hopefully allow me to illustrate the differences with the Shinobi Alliance, and the effect it has had on the Galaxy rather than just simply outlining it in an info dump._**

**_Anyway, tune in next chapter for more on Kagami early life, and just how he manages to start his Shinobi life._**


End file.
